Cliffhanger (1993)
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A mountain climber becomes entangled in a high-stakes heist involving a U.S. Treasury plane in the Rocky Mountains.
The story
Mountain rescue rangers Gabe Walker, his girlfriend Jessie Deighan, and Frank attempt to rescue their fellow ranger Hal Tucker and his girlfriend Sarah, stranded in the Colorado Rockies. Sarah's harness breaks loose, and she falls to her death, despite Walker's effort to save her. Hal blames a guilt-stricken Walker, who leaves the ranger service. Eight months later, Walker returns to collect his belongings and persuade Jessie to leave with him, but she refuses. Meanwhile, psychopathic former military intelligence operative Eric Qualen orchestrates the robbery of over $100 million in three suitcases of uncirculated bills. Turncoat U.S. Treasury agent Richard Travers hijacks the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 carrying the money, betraying and shooting his team members.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a tragic accident in the Colorado Rockies, Gabe Walker leaves the rescue service. Months later, he is forced into a confrontation with Eric Qualen, a psychopathic operative who has hijacked a plane carrying $100 million in cash. The plane crashes in the mountains, scattering the money. Walker and his former colleague Hal Tucker, who remains bitter over the loss of his partner, are forced to track the money while being hunted by Qualen's mercenaries. The conflict escalates as they navigate treacherous terrain, facing off against various mercenaries and the treacherous environment. Amidst the chaos, Walker and his girlfriend Jessie attempt to evade capture while Hal manages the mercenaries' movements. The climax occurs atop high cliffs where Walker must face Qualen in a final confrontation. Walker ultimately destroys the money and defeats Qualen, allowing him to reunite with Jessie and Hal as the authorities arrive.
- First release year
- 1993
- Runtime (minutes)
- 113
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Renny Harlin
- Writers
- Michael France · screenplay; Sylvester Stallone · screenplay; Sylvester Stallone · story
- Cast and characters
- Sylvester Stallone · Gabe Walker; John Lithgow · Eric Qualen; Michael Rooker · Hal; Janine Turner · Jessie Deighan
- Genres
- action; thriller
- Themes
- survival; betrayal
- Tone and mood
- tense; action-packed
- Premise and plot tags
- heist; mountaineering
- Franchise connections
- Cliffhanger
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- The film received mixed to positive reviews and was a box office hit, becoming the 7th-highest-grossing film of 1993.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 67% · scale: percentage · review count: 57; Metacritic · score: 59 · scale: 100 · review count: 16
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards · Best Sound · nomination; Academy Awards · Best Sound Effects Editing · nomination; Academy Awards · Best Visual Effects · nomination; Golden Raspberry Awards · Worst Picture · nomination; Golden Raspberry Awards · Worst Supporting Actor · nomination; Golden Raspberry Awards · Worst Supporting Actress · nom1; Golden Raspberry Awards · Worst Screenplay · nomination
- Production trivia
- It was the last film to use the 1984–1993 TriStar Pictures logo.; It is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the costliest aerial stunt ever performed.; The film was based on a script that Stallone significantly rewrote.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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